McDowell Racing Stables

05/18/2025

With it being the last Preakness at my beloved Pimlico as we know it we decided to splurge and get VIP tickets in the Turfside Terrace. They did a wonderful job with the food and drinks in there, it really felt a bit like a wedding reception except you got to skip the wedding. We had a fantastic time on a beautiful day.

The facility itself had gotten it’s annual spruce up of new paint and flowers like always but that is where the effort ended. I was really expecting them to go all out and make this 150th Preakness the best one ever or at least one to remember but instead it felt like “let’s get this s**t over with.” The merchandising was abysmal, they didn’t even bother making a post position tshirt this year for the first time since I have been going. They had maybe 5 different versions of blue or black tshirts with 150 on it and a jacket and that’s it.

The lack of merchandising probably didn’t matter because there was hardly anyone there anyway. The entire infield was closed off. Where there would normally be 50,000 or more people spread out there were none. They had all the huge money corporate areas and the Turfside Terrace along the inside of the stretch like always but the only other thing in the infield was something they called the infield zone which included beer and wine with your ticket and relegated you to a tent in the corner by the quarter pole. They had 3000 tickets for that area, not sure how many were sold of those 3000. If you told me attendance for the whole day was 20,000 I would believe it.

I am not sure where the blame for the lack of effort lies because the state of MD now owns Pimlico but 1st/Stronach still has their hand in it for the next couple of years. Whoever is responsible needs to get their act together and do a better job of making it the people’s race again or even a new facility won’t save Maryland racing. Gone are the days of if you build it they will come. Once the novelty of Pimlico 2.0 wears off we need to give people a reason to come back.

01/05/2025

I know I have pretty much abandoned you guys in my retirement and have just been posting all the horse related stuff on my personal page which is easy to see considering I still have my Preakness cover photo up but wanted to give you an update.

Our little baby Vi went to her first ever horse show on Friday at WEC. She shipped in the night before but it was too late to school. She hacked in the ring early Friday morning for her first time being ridden in an indoor and lunged outside for a few minutes.

First up was her first ever hacks. She did two, the first was so big they had to split the class in half for the canter. See pic 1. She finished 8th. Next was the future hunter hack and she finished 5th. So far we have pinned in both huge classes!
A little time to rest up next. See pic 2.

We entered in four over fences classes with plans on doing as many or as few as she was up for. She has literally only schooled twice in her life so actual classes were a massive ask.
First two classes went great so we decided to do the first class of the next division too and see how she feels. That was fantastic so we went ahead and did the last class.

We were already on our way back to Wellington when they finally pinned those huge classes and we found out Vi finished 2nd and 5th in her USHJA classes with 32 horses in it and WON both her Future Hunter classes which thanks to that 5th in the hack made her reserve champion for the division despite only doing half the classes because we skipped the show on Thursday.

Proud would be an understatement. We had a lot of wonderful, talented people helping us every step of the way and for that we are very grateful.

I can’t promise I will update this page any better in the New Year so feel free to check out my personal page if you want to. Thanks for sticking around all these years!

07/10/2024

A lifetime ago I was on the board of directors of the Penn National HPBA. The main reason I ran was we knew slots were coming and I wanted to advocate for guaranteed funding for retired racehorses.

One project that was just in the brainstorming phase when we moved to Maryland, that was the horseman owned Presque Isle Downs. We hoped for it to be a utopia without a money grubbing owner so we could give the horses and the horseman everything to be successful and safe when they were here while putting the excess money back into the purses.

Today we are sitting on the apron at Presque Isle. Not sure how close the horseman came to making the vision a reality but at least it actually exists. Pretty cool

04/27/2024

I don’t usually go for the chalk but Fierceness totally won me over in the Florida Derby. He ran like a man with the boys. May they all come home safely.

04/07/2024

Next up on birthday week is Violet who turns four today! Somehow Violet has managed not to grow a single inch in height in 24 months yet has grown outwards to the point that we can’t find a single saddle wide enough to fit her. Which means I am breaking the cardinal rule of not buying a custom saddle for a baby because their shape changes too often as they continue to (hopefully) grow and she is getting a custom saddle fitted today.
This pic is from the first and only time we ever attempted to free jump Vi, she was a yearling then. If we ever want to see her do this under saddle a custom saddle or is! Maybe I can buy her a growth spurt too? I just can’t wrap my head around her being done growing at 24 months but she sure isn’t in any hurry to prove that wrong.
Happy birthday Vi!

03/06/2024

I thought Juliet and I were better today than at our last show but the scores suggest otherwise. Either way Juliet was a good sport as we attempted to dance in the rain in paradise. Thank you A M Dressage for making this all possible

03/02/2024

Juliet made it clear that dressage is very hard and she wants to do some jumping too. First Florida blue ribbon in the books! Back to dressage showing on Wednesday.

02/27/2024

Trying to find an angle that doesn’t make her look fat. Considering we had to stuff food into her 24/7 last winter just to keep her looking half decent, I am very happy with the way she looks

02/19/2024

Rained like crazy yesterday and overnight so we went for a trail ride instead. You can tell Juliet was thrilled!

02/19/2024

You guys have been so helpful with my saddle woes that I thought I would share the ad particulars here too!

2013 Voltaire Adelaide with Pro Panels. 18” seat, 3A flaps. Full buffalo. Has been completely refurbished by Voltaire so is in excellent used condition. This saddle is ideal for tall, long legged riders who enjoy a long block and a narrow twist.

Panels are marked Pro B20 010. In March 2023, we had the panels replaced and changed them slightly for more shoulder relief. They’re now marked D10.
Voltaire appraised the saddle at $5400, asking $3500. Trials available. Thanks for your help!

01/27/2024

Wow this is really interesting. Love that they are developing a test to predict which horses will have DSLD. That would be a good thing to add to a PPE.

Two experts describe this degenerative suspensory ligament condition in horses and what new information researchers are learning about it.

01/25/2024

Look at Jules and Ashley go! And yes the sky has looked like this for weeks, not that any of you will feel sorry for us!